Last Croissant

Last day in France! And last croissant of the quest. It rained as we came into Paris, somehow making the final day seem all the more dramatic. After six weeks of hanging in, it’s sad to think the experience is ending. Seeing so many new cities – the feeling of arriving, seeing the streets and houses, tasting the food, having crazy conversations with the people – as tiring as it’s been to cover cities, it’s exciting, and energizing. An addictive lifestyle. But a good reminder that there’s always so much more to discover if you seek it out, outside of your daily routine. And that most people are eager to help you when you’re out there, in unfamiliar territory.

So some stats (for those of you who like them) – 14 train trips, 24 hotel rooms, an astronomical sum spent on bottled water and internet, 12 cities covered, 1 new suitcase needed for all the paper, and a lot of croissants. A lot.

And the last croissant, in the photo, I had the morning I flew to Sweden. The bottle of champagne was not for breakfast (I promise) but was for a celebratory toast the night before.

And while the physical croissants portion of the quest may be over, the spirit of croissant quest continues. Partially out of respect for a deep, unrelenting love for things produced with butter, and partly because everyday should be a croissant quest, an exploration of the wonderful things in the world, and the encounters they create.

One of the nice things about France is that you can’t eat a meal without someone wishing you “bon appetit.” Not just in restaurants, but also when I’d have a simple picnic on a park bench, people walking by would say “bon appetit”. Small children, old couples – it was amazing. A small, simple, touching thing, to wish someone a good meal.

And with that, I wish you all “bon appetit.”